Our sixth graders returned to WMS last Wednesday, following their three-day trip to New York City, where they attended the Global Citizenship Action Project (GCAP) conference at the United Nations. GCAP is a global citizenship program designed as a professional conference for students. Montessori middle-schoolers from all over the United States, Canada and other countries gather annually in New York City to hear from speakers on a variety of global issues, tour the United Nations and visit a country's Mission at the U.N. The program aims to inspire young people to learn what they can do to become better educated and more productive global citizens.

Each year, our graduating sixth-graders travel to New York for the GCAP conference. During their fifth-grade year, they plan events like the Dance Party and PJ Bingo to raise funds to pay for the trip. We want to support this important project and involvement with their peace curriculum studies and direct involvement with the work of the UN.

During their trip, the sixth-graders selected an organization to support through a large fundraising project over the course of this school year. After attending presentations by a number of non-profits, the students voted to select Vision For and From Children, an organization founded by 13-year-old Lillian Pravda who was born with a cataract requiring several eye surgeries. The mission of the organization is to assist children with vision problems by supporting costs related to pediatric eye surgeries, including supplies and equipment. Because of the founder's young age, our students felt particularly connected to her cause. Stay tuned for more information about their fundraising efforts!

When asked about their trip, all of the sixth-graders responded with enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity.

Alex Ropars said that he particularly enjoyed his trip to the Permanent Mission of Israel. "We learned about the country, its history and products we use in America that came from Israel like flash drives, tiny cameras that are used to diagnose medical problems and Skype."

Ian Scott said he found it interesting to learn about how education and health care in Israel are impacted by military funding.

Evan Bastianelli agreed with Alex and Ian's observations about the trip to the Mission of Israel, and also mentioned some other favorite parts of the trip: "I loved skating at Rockefeller Center, the glass elevator in the hotel, Broadway and the crazy pigeons," he said.

We are proud of them and their work, and the excellent way they represented WMS. One of the planners of the event sent a note recognizing our students for their interest, involvement, and polite and cooperative behavior. We can't wait to see the rest of their work this year!

Toddler Program News

Theresa Conaty is chairing a committee with toddler teachers to plan expansion and additions to our toddler playgrounds. New equipment will be added this fall and spring, during the first phase of the three-year strategic plan. The focus will be toward Natural Playground design. All four toddler classroom teachers are involved in this work. Your contributions to the upcoming annual fund drive will help this project.

Meet Our Facilities Manager

This Monday, we welcomed our new Facilities Manager Chuck Connor. Chuck managed facilities for the School District of Philadelphia for 32 years, and more recently at the Wells Fargo Center. He says he is excited to be a part of our community and has appreciated the warm welcome he has received at WMS! Chuck will lead our maintenance and cleaning staff and work alongside the Building and Grounds Committee, chaired by Dave Ropars to improve and enhance our facilities. Thank you to Dave and the other members of the Committee (including Paul Sakaguchi, Drew Matalonis, Joe Facciolo, Nora Lober, Lori Oberly and Lisa Lalama) for their hard work throughout this search process!

This Week in the Montessori Message Blog...

Check out our latest blog post, featuring interviews with NBA star Stephen Curry and his family (including his mother who is head of a Montessori school in North Carolina) as they share the impact Montessori education has had on their family!

The Wilmington Montessori School "Spruce Up Day" will be held on Saturday, November 2 from 9 a.m. until noon. This event is a Green Apple Day of Service project sponsored by the WMS Parent Co-op.

Join other Co-op parents to tackle gardening, grounds-keeping and inventory tasks here on the WMS campus. Please bring basic gardening tools, such as small shovels, rakes, weeders and gloves, if you have them. Other supplies and equipment will be provided.

Our "To Do List" includes the following possibilities:

Painting a new four-square by the pool houseCourtyard clean up

Screen cleaning

Small garden projects

Clean the WMS outdoor stage

Re-seal/paint a selection of picnic tables

Child care will be available for Spruce Up/Green Apple Day Co-op volunteers. Please register in advance by emailing cass_winner@wmsde.org .

________________

Note to WMS Dads

by Matt Harris

Haven't made it to a Dads Group event yet? Meet us at the Green Apple Day of Service! I plan to be at there on Saturday and would love to see some other dads come out to join me! Our help is needed. If you would like to come out and volunteer, let me know and we can coordinate a project together. I can be reached at mala934@yahoo.com.

Parent Education

Transition Mornings... Coming this November!

Have you ever wondered what the next program level will be like for your child at WMS?

Come in and experience it!

Visit a next level classroom so you can see for yourself what lies ahead for your child. Observe a class in session where children are working and teachers are giving lessons; ask questions about your child's transition to the next program level. Along with the teachers, Director of Educational Programs Liz Madden, Head of School Marie Dugan, Assistant Head of School Lisa Lalama, and Admissions Officer Theresa Conaty will be on-hand to answer any questions you might have.

We highly recommend that all of our families attend a transition morning, particularly if your child will be moving up next year.

Note: If you cannot attend the transition morning for your child's age-level, please contact theresa_conaty@wmsde.org to schedule a transition visit at another time!

Basic First Aid & CPR

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 from 6-9 p.m.

Presented by Henry Hom, First State Safety Services

Two Classes in One Night

Part 1: Basic First Aid

Properly applied first aid can save lives, reduce recovery time, and mean the difference between temporary disability or lifelong disability for the victim. Participants will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of injuries and sudden illness. Crucial information about how to deal with emergencies like shock, burns, strains, strokes and seizures will also be shared.

This program was reviewed by and meets the guidelines of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the Department of Transportation. It has also been accepted for training day care personnel and adult care staff in all states.

Delaware and Pennsylvania approved for child-care providers.

Part 2: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)Participants will master necessary skills for the administration of CPR, learn how to recognize a life-threatening emergency, how to provide basic life support and what to do in the case of an airway obstruction or choking.

This program is based upon the most recent guidelines for CPR and emergency cardiac care and has been approved for training of Emergency Medical Services Workers in several states (including Colorado, Nebraska, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland and Delaware).

Delaware and Pennsylvania approved for child-care providers.

Cost: $60 (includes both classes) - Checks payable to First State Safety Services

Please join us for this exciting parent education opportunity. Come and learn about Montessori education in the home and at school.

"Montessori 101" and "Bringing Montessori Home"

Presented by Betsy Haas and Lauren Harris, WMS Teachers and Parents

Monday, November 4, 2013, 7-9 p.m.

Join seasoned Montessori teachers/Montessori moms Betsy and Lauren in this exciting two-part workshop. Lauren will delve deeper into the Montessori philosophy and explain in more detail what Montessori means and how it plays out in the classroom, with the teachers and throughout the school. Betsy will then share tips and pointers about how to carry the Montessori Method outside of school - no pricey materials needed! There are many simple things you can do to foster independence and creativity in your child while in the most comfortable of settings - your home.

This is a wonderful workshop for those who are new to Montessori and those who want to learn more. It is being provided free of charge to all WMS families. Two hours of co-op time will be given to each family member who attends. Seats are limited. Please register online.

Please note: Child-care will be available at a cost of $5 per child, with advanced registration required. Email cass_winner@wmsde.org or call (302) 475-0555 to register by Friday, November 1.

To learn about additional co-op opportunities, visit www.wmsde.org/co-op or check out the Co-op Boards located across from the library and at the top of the Aspen Wing.

To help your child find the best books, all elementary students will visit the Book Fair during class time and will be allowed to purchase books during that visit. You may also visit the fair with your child before or after school. If you cannot attend, you may use the Book List order form that was sent home with your child and return it to school.

Tonight's Family Night will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Your family can shop together, participate in activities and enjoy refreshments including pizza, which will be on sale in the gym. We also invite you to stop by the Classroom Wish List display while visiting our Book Fair. Help add books to our classroom shelves by purchasing books and donating them to your child's class.

This year, we again have the opportunity to bring more books to our students and classrooms through a program called All for Books. Look for the collection jars at the cash register tables in the Great Room and the gym near the food during Family Night. All of the money collected goes directly to purchasing more books for WMS. In addition, Scholastic will match the All for Books dollars we raise with a donation of up to one million books to three non-profit organizations devoted to improving reading skills among children: Kids in Distressed Situations Inc., National Center or Family Literacy and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

We appreciate your dedication to creating lifelong readers. See you at our Book Fair!

Dance Party - Next Friday!

It's time to get your groove on! On Friday, November 8, from 6 to 8 p.m., members of the fifth-grade class will be hosting their annual Dance Party. This fundraiser supports the class of 2015 as they prepare for their sixth-grade trip next year. The sixth-grade trip is an amazing adventure to NYC and the Global Citizenship Action Project (GCAP) conference.

The Dance Party costs $10 per person and $35 for a family of four. The price includes pizza, dessert, great music and lots of fun. There is a special dance area for students 5 and younger. There will be raffles prizes too! Come out and support the fifth-graders while having a great time with friends.

Tickets go on sale Monday November 4.

Earn 1% for WMS When You Shop at SuperFresh

The Superfresh Community Rewards program allows you to earn 1% of your purchase amount for Wilmington Montessori School.

The Wednesday Weekly shares WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community. Please send submissions to wednesday-weekly@wmsde.org by 4:30 p.m. on the Friday prior to the issue in which you wish to include your information. Content may be edited for length and style and may be held for a future issue due to space constraints. For more information, contact Noel Dietrich, Communications Officer.

Our Mission

Wilmington Montessori School is a collaborative learning community rooted in Montessori principles, inspiring the joyful discovery of self and a passion for learning and independent thinking. We empower children to be knowledgeable and responsible contributors to the global community.